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“וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־אָבִ֗יו אָנֹכִי֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו בְּכֹרֶ֔ךָ עָשִׂ֕יתִי כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָ֑י קֽוּם־נָ֣א שְׁבָ֗ה וְאָכְלָה֙ מִצֵּידִ֔י בַּעֲב֖וּר תְּבָרְכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃”, “Yaakov said to his father [Yitzchak], ‘I am Eisav, your first-born; I have done as you told me. Daven, sit up and eat the food I got, and give me your best Brachah’”, (BeReishit, 27:19).
Each of the Avot had a special Middah in which they excelled. Avraham was known for his amazing acts of Chesed, Yitzchak for his strength and discipline, and Yaakov for his Emet, or truth. Yaakov was known to never have lied. But how can we say this? Clearly, in this Pasuk, Yaakov, the so-called man of truth, is lying! How can he do that!? The Gemara in Maakot agrees, saying:
לֹא רָגַל עַל לְשֹׁנוֹ”- זֶה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, דִּכְתִיב ״אוּלַי יְמֻשֵּׁנִי אָבִי וְהָיִיתִי בְעֵינָיו כִּמְתַעְתֵּעַ״”.
“There was no lie on his tongue.” This is referring to Yaakov Avinu, who did not want to lie to his father in order to receive his Berachot.
דִּכְתִיב ״אוּלַי יְמֻשֵּׁנִי אָבִי וְהָיִיתִי בְעֵינָיו כִּמְתַעְתֵּעַ״
As the Pasuk says: “Perhaps my father will feel me, and see me as a liar”.
The Gemara learns from our story, a story in which Yaakov lies, that Yaakov is the paradigm of honesty!
We can learn an amazing life lesson from this story. We must realize that in this story, as in every story, it is Hashem that is writing the script, and Yaakov was just playing his part. And since Hashem’s ways are Emet, Yaakov’s ways are Emet. Or as the Ran explains, while Yitzchak was the one giving the Brachah, all Berachot are from Hashem, and the Mevarech, Yitachak, is just a vehicle for Hashem to deliver it to the rightful recipient.
We know from the Pesukim that it was actually Rivkah, Yaakov’s mother, who commanded Yaakov to deceive his father Yitzchak into giving him the Brachah. She even ensures Yaakov that she would take any punishment that might come his way if he were caught. How did Rivkah know that Yaakov should get the bracha?
For this answer, let's turn back to the beginning of our Parashah, where the torah adds a seemingly unneeded story about Rivkah during her pregnancy.
תְרֹֽצְצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֶת ה׃
But the children struggled in her womb, and she said, “If so, why do I exist?” She went to inquire of ‘ה,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃
‘ה answered her, “Two nations are in your womb, You will give birth to two separate nations; One nation will be stronger than the other, And the older will serve the younger.”
Why does the Torah include this story? Rivkah knew from this experience that Yaakov would be the one to be the father of Bnei Yisrael, and she just need to make sure the pieces fell into place for Hashem's plan to happen. There is a very important lesson we can learn from this. Hashem is in control, everything is going to be ok, even if it seems rough. Hashem has a master plan, and we are just emissaries doing as He wants.